In 1997, in the heavyweight boxing match between Mike Tyson and Evander
Holyfield, Tyson bit Holyfield’s ear, not once but twice before being disqualified by the referee. Tyson actually bit
off a portion of Holyfield’s ear! Following the incident in a BBC interview,
Tyson said “That was just striking out in pure hatred. For that one moment I
just forgot he was a human being.” Now, fast-forward to this week. George
Zimmerman has been charged with second degree murder in the shooting death
of Trayvon Martin. Speaking out about Zimmerman, Tyson said “It’s a disgrace
that man hasn’t been dragged out of his house and tied to a car and taken away.
That’s the only kind of retribution that people like that understand. It’s a
disgrace that man hasn’t been shot yet. Forget about him being arrested – the fact
that he hasn’t been shot yet is a disgrace.” Mr. Tyson seems to have amnesia –
having forgotten that George Zimmerman too is a human being. Two wrongs do not
make a right. Tyson’s way of thinking only serves to escalate conflict, like
throwing gasoline on an open flame. Such thinking leads to bloodshed,
destruction and death. Globally, such thinking has led to many a war. It is a
very dangerous thought process that people of faith must speak out about and
stand up against.
“You have heard it
said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not
resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the
other also.” (Matthew 5:38-39) Fueling the fires of hatred with violent
retribution, as Tyson suggests can only increase the racial divide. We cannot
bring Trayvon Martin back. Certainly, taking the life of another human being
can neither bring him back nor heal those wounded by this tragedy. Jesus calls
us to take a different path, a nonviolent path. It is the only way to avoid
further unnecessary carnage.
“You have heard that
it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to
you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew
5:43-44) Violence begets violence. If justice is to prevail, cool heads and
warm hearts must rule the day. Hatred makes us forget the humanity of others.
Hatred kills. That is why Jesus calls us to love our enemies and pray for those
who persecute us. Love is contrary to hatred and violence. President Reagan
demonstrated Jesus’ directive, following the assassination attempt by John Hinkley, Jr.
Reagan prayed for Hinkley while recovering in the hospital[1].
Forgiveness is
powerful. It is transformative, as this video reveals. In the video, the father
of murder victim Linda Rule publically forgives serial killer Gary Ridgway,
reducing Ridgway to tears.
That’s the kind of heart-felt connection that must be tapped
into, to transform hearts, lives and our society. Only love can counter and
conquer hatred. That does not mean acquittal of perpetrators of violent crimes.
They must be held accountable for justice to be served. George Zimmerman must
be held accountable for the death of Trayvon Martin. But in achieving justice,
we must not forget that Mr. Zimmerman is a human being. And if the killing of
Trayvon Martin was racially motivated, we must recognize that George Zimmerman
is but a small speck in a great sea of racism to be overcome. Justice for
Trayvon will be played out in a courtroom. Justice, with regard to racism, must
be pursued on a much larger scale.
We must first acknowledge that racism still exists in our
society today. Only then can we pursue its eradication. The marches and hoodie
protests that have taken place in recent weeks have served to arouse our
awareness of racial injustice. Martin
Luther King, Jr. brought racial injustice to the forefront in a similar
manner. King’s platform was based on Christian ideals and his approach was like
that of Jesus and Mahatma Ghandi – it was
peaceful. Through nonviolent civil disobedience and events like the Great March
on Washington (1963), King led the civil rights movement in the U.S. and paved
the way to social transformation. Fifty years later there is still work to be
done. Only we, as people of faith, can further human rights in the U.S. and
around the world.
We must remember that this is about human rights – not retribution.
We cannot suffer amnesia like Mike Tyson. We must see that “the other guy”, “they”,
“them” (those who we would label as our enemies) as human beings. Humanity
was created in the image of God – a God of love, benevolence and grace. Within
each person is a divine spark that can be manifest if we only look for it, seek
it and allow it to shine forth. It is up to each and every one of us to nurture
that tiny flicker before hatred and despair snuff it out. Social transformation
may begin with awareness, but that awareness must be followed by changing
hearts. And hearts can only be changed through forgiveness and by fostering love
of neighbor and enemy alike. Each of us must model the behavior and ideals that
are desired of all people. We cannot remove the spec from our neighbor’s eye,
until we have removed the log from our own. Laying blame and pointing fingers
serves no purpose. Remember, each time we point an accusatory finger, there are
3 pointing back at us. We must take care to speak the truth in love, not in
anger, for anger has violent repercussions. Our words should build others up,
not tear them down. Truly, our words and our actions should attest to the truth
that all persons are of value, are equal and are loved in the sight of God. Let
that be our vision and let us pursue it for the sake of humanity.
Merciful God, help us
to end the vicious cycle of violence. Remind us that we are all part of the
same human family, created in your image. Let us see your face in the faces of
our neighbors and our enemies. Help us to love our neighbors and our enemies as
ourselves and as you love each of us. Help us to share your vision that all
persons, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity
or other differences are of value, equal and loved by you. Grant us the courage
to stand up against oppression, bigotry, injustice and aggression and promote
human rights for all persons. Empower us to transform hatred into hope and
love. Make us instruments of peace – your peace so that one day we will make
Dr. King’s Dream for human equality a reality. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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